Plant tissue cultures, e.g., plant tissue, parts of plants or plants, are grown under aseptic conditions. Some sort of a container is employed to maintain the aseptic condition. However, since air is necessary the container must be vented. The vent is provided with a filter so as to maintain the aseptic condition within the container. A very simple such container would be a test tube with a wad of cotton closing the open end and serving as a filter and, perhaps, a removable cap for the open end of the test tube. Other more sophisticated containers have been suggested, and to some extent used.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide such a culture vessel which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is almost foolproof so far as its use is concerned; that is, its construction is such that there is almost no opportunity for its misuse in a manner such that the desired condition would not be maintained within the vessel when it is used. It has the advantages that: the cover of the vessel is securely locked in place against accidental displacement; the members of the container are readily cleaned and/or sterilized for reuse; even when in use the containers may be stacked one upon the other without any functional impairment so far as their use is concerned; and the air filter is securely held in place against accidental displacement. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those workers in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
Embodiments of the invention comprise top and bottom members defining an enclosed space for the culturing operation. These members are rectangular in horizontal cross section and elongated in one direction. At one of the narrow ends there is a releasable latch and at the other end a detent engagement. The bottom of the walls of the top member have an angular flange which seats on the top of the walls of the bottom member and fits about the outside of the bottom member walls. Along the elongated sides thereof are inner projections in juxtaposition to the tops of the bottom member walls. Thus those elongated walls of the two members are locked against displacement with respect to each other. The top is horizontal and has a depressed section at one end. In that depressed section is the vent opening with portions across the vent opening to support the air filter in that opening. The cover assembly for the vent opening includes a mounting ring engaging an annulus on the top about the vent opening. A strap hinge connects that ring to the cap. The mounting ring aids in holding the air filter.